An In-Depth Look at a Reel Made Entirely in the USA: The Ardent XS1000 (continued)
Price: Being a newcomer it’s hard
to break into the market with a reel that people aren’t familiar with,
especially when they look at the design aspects and then look at the price, they
might be turned off by a price point of $249.99. It’s not the most expensive
magnesium reel on the market but nor is it the least since the Shimano Core
sells for $349.99 and the Daiwa Fuego retails for $229.95. But then again people
are looking at the overall design and price point when making a purchase, and
this is where Ardent needs to do some work on even if their product is made in
the USA.
Removing the parts to gain access
to the gear and drag system
We
first noticed Ardent a few years back at ICAST where we saw, first hand, some of
their earliest prototypes. Compared to now they have made a huge improvement on
their baitcast reels. But of course being fairly new in a hotly contested market
and also being the only bass sized baitcasting reel manufactured in the USA. The reel has some good features but
there are some things that require further engineering. The reel’s durability is
respectable and the XS1000 does feature excellent components including the
master gearing, drag washer, and bearings. Though the frame is lightweight, the
addition of the bearings really increases the overall weight, and that’s
something anglers need to understand. If you want smooth and long lasting
bearings over bushings, then the reel’s weight will increase.
You have to remove the handle
sidecover to remove the spool
Ratings: (We've re-calibrated our ratings standard for 2008 and have included a key at the bottom of the following matrix as a guide):
Ardent
XS1000
Reel
Ratings (?/10)
Construction/Quality
There
are some
pluses
and
minuses
on the
design
which
are
outlined
in the
review.
Ardent
does use
make of
some
quality
components
such as
the ABEC
5
bearings.
Durability
wise
it’s not
bad at
all and
the reel
has held
up to
much
abuse
over the
months
of field
tests
5
Performance
Casts
match
the
other
reels
for most
lures
while
the drag
and
retrieve
is
exceptionally
smooth
and
consistent
7
Price
Priced
in
between
its
competitors
but if
you look
at it
from an
angler’s
point of
view,
they are
looking
at the
price,
design,
and
performance,
and
the reel
still
needs
some
work in
order to
sell the
reel at
this
price
point
4
Features
The reel
features
a
lightweight
magnesium
frame
and
quality
ABEC 5
bearings
along
with
other
goodies
6.5
Design (Ergonomics)
Ergonomics
aren’t
too bad.
It palms
comfortably.
The
weight
might be
of a
concern
for some
but it’s
a 10+1
bearing
Mg reel
6
Application
This
reel
will get
the job
done as
it’s
designed
primarily
for the
bass
fishing
market.
It’s
good for
many
different
types of
lures
7
Total Score
5.91
Ratings Key:1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable!
For More
Details
of the
updated
rating
system
visit
our
explanation
here
Pluses and Minuses:
Plus Minus
J
Smooth
and
consistent
drag
L
Increased
weight
due to
bearing
count
J
ABEC 5
bearings
L
Can't
access
brakes
with
fingers
J
Fast and
smooth
retrieve
L
Sidecover
on
non-handle
side can
open
J
Lightweight
Magnesium
frame
Cranking with the
Ardent XS1000 paired
with the new St.
Croix Avid
all-purpose rod
landed this nice
bass
Conclusion: There you have it folks, our in-depth review on the Ardent
XS1000 baitcast reel. Ardent provides anglers with an additional choice, one
that is made here in
the USA by a 100%
American owned
company. The Ardent
XS1000 may not be
perfect but it does
offer quality
performance with
American design and
construction. If
that is a priority
to you then the
XS1000 will
certainly be on top
of your list. With
some design tweaks
this Ardent reel can
go from an average
reel to an excellent
one and
we hope to see these changes and more at the upcoming ICAST show this July in
Las Vegas. For now the Ardent XS1000 is the only U.S. made magnesium based
baitcaster on the
market, and having
more options is a
very good thing.
